TCL A300W NXTVision

A300W / A300W PRO / NXTVision

Available screen sizes: 55”65”75”

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Panel type: LCD VA | Brand: TCL | Resolution: 3840x2160 | System: Google TV | Model year: 2024

Our verdict

6.6

Overall rating

At first glance, it's clear that the TCL A300 NXTVision wants to be more than just an ordinary television. It offers an image display mode that – unlike its competitors from Korea, Samsung The Frame – is completely free of charge. Additionally, like its rivals, freebies are included. In the package, in addition to the television, we find extra frames imitating light wood as well as a flat wall mount, allowing the television to truly resemble a gallery piece. In terms of everyday use, the Google TV system makes the biggest impression – it's extensive, fast, and offers access to a vast number of applications. And if we feel like stepping out of the digital museum and jumping straight into the gaming world, the A300 can surprise us. Two HDMI 2.1 ports, 144 Hz, VRR, ALLM, and very low input lag mean that even demanding gamers can feel at home here. Well... maybe except for those who are sensitive to ghosting – because that's still one of the model's major issues. There are also downsides. Although the picture mode is free – and that's worth appreciating – the quality of the available graphics clearly falls short of what Samsung offers in its paid ART Store. The images displayed resemble photos rather than realistic reproductions of artworks. Unfortunately, the A300 – like the competing Hisense S7NQ – performs poorly in this regard and additionally has some software issues. The brightness of the television itself also leaves much to be desired – it is the darkest television of the entire “frame trio,” which translates to average experiences during the day and limited HDR effects. Nevertheless, the TCL A300 NXTVision is a quite reasonable alternative to Samsung The Frame or S7NQ – especially if we are looking for a more affordable solution without additional fees for access to the "gallery" mode and with an operating system that doesn't limit us in terms of the number of applications. However, it should be noted that this is a proposition with a lot of compromises. If we want to save a bit and aren’t expecting top-end picture quality, then the A300 could be a picture-perfect choice. Otherwise, it’s worth looking at its competition.

Advantages

Frames styled like a painting included
Mount included
VA matrix with decent contrast
Supports all popular HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+
Great for gamers: VRR, G-Sync, ALLM, low input lag
High refresh rate - 144Hz
Free "picture mode"
Supports DTS:X and Dolby Atmos
GoogleTV operating system with the largest app base

Disadvantages

Low brightness
Motion blur issues
Missing USB recording feature or PiP
Worse image quality in "art mode" than Samsung The Frame
Colors and blacks significantly fade under sunlight
No VESA standard
Software bugs

Movies and series in UHD quality

6.2
Classic TV, YouTube

6.0
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

5.9
Gaming on console

8.2
TV as a computer monitor

8.2
Watching in bright light

4.7
Utility functions

7.7
Apps

10.0
Sound quality

6.0

TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Appearance of the TV

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Contrast and black detail

Viewing mode Game mode

5.5/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Local dimming function: No

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Contrast and black detail

Contrast between the black background and the bright spotlight illuminating Jack. Scene from the movie Oblivion (Universal Pictures).

Result

5,000:1

Contrast between the glare on the chameleon's skin and the black near the edge of the screen below. Scene from the Spears&Munsil test disc.

Result

5,450:1

Contrast between the reflection on the helmet and the black on the black film strip. Scene from the movie Arrival (Paramount Pictures).

Result

3,800:1

Contrast between the actress's face and the black film strip at the top edge of the TV. Scene from the movie Gravity (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Result

4,000:1

Contrast between the colorful balloon and the black slice between the falling objects. Scene from the Pioneer Kuro test disc (2008).

Result

3,950:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

TCL A300, also known as NXTVision, uses a VA panel, so right from the start, decent contrast could be expected. In our test patterns, the television did indeed show typical results for this type of panel – in the best case, the contrast reached about 5000:1, which is not a bad result for this segment.

However, it should be noted that the model is not equipped with any local dimming technology, which unfortunately shows in practice. Black, although at times quite deep, often shifts to blue or gray – especially in darker scenes. In short: for a television without local dimming, it's not bad, but there’s no point in comparing it to models that already have that feature on board.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

HDR effect quality

Viewing mode Game mode

4.9/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 94.2%, Bt.2020: 71.0%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Brightness measurement

The measured point is the setting sun against a bright sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

357 nit

The measured point is the moon against a dark, starry sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

348 nit

The measured point is the flashlight on the rifle, which shines directly at the camera. Scene from the movie Gemini Man (Paramount Pictures).

Result

338 nit

The measured point is the tail light of a helicopter flying at night. This is a very small light point, the essence of the HDR effect. Scene from the movie Sicario 2: Soldado (Lionsgate).

Result

350 nit

The measured point is the sun visible directly between the clouds. The scene is very bright and should blind the viewer as in nature. Scene from the movie The Meg (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Result

389 nit

When it comes to brightness, the TCL A300W is definitely the darkest TV among all frame-style models, such as Samsung The Frame or Hisense CanvasTV – and unfortunately, this is immediately noticeable. In our measurements, the peak luminance reached only about 400 nits, and on test film screens, this value dropped to 350 nits. This is definitely too little to feel the true "magic" of bright HDR effects. As a consolation – the TV is equipped with a PFS LED coating (which is something like QLED), which provides very good coverage of a wide color palette, both DCI-P3 and BT.2020. Additionally, there is full support for all popular HDR formats – HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision – which somewhat compensates for the shortcomings in brightness and helps improve the overall perception of materials in this quality.

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

Now that we know that the TCL A300 has limited capabilities in displaying bright scenes, we checked how it performs in actual movie clips. In a scene from the movie Pan (high-quality material known from Blu-ray discs), the television had clear difficulties adapting to very bright parts of the image. The sun blended into a single bright spot, making it hard to see any details.

The scene from the movie Billy Lynn (quality typical for streaming platforms) performed significantly better. In this case, the colors looked natural, and the background maintained an appropriate level of detail. However, returning to the scene from Pan – the situation could have been somewhat better if the television had a well-functioning dynamic tone mapping feature. Unfortunately, when it was turned on, the image did actually show more details, but the overall appearance seemed even darker than it should have been. Therefore, we do not recommend using this option on the TCL A300.

HDR luminance chart:

As we mentioned earlier, the TCL A300 NXTVision supports all popular HDR formats. However, it is important to remember that the differences between them can be huge in practice – and this is clearly visible on our test pattern with horses. Dolby Vision literally saves this television – the amount of detail, background visibility, and overall depth of the image are significantly better than with standard HDR10, where the image appears flattened and lacking information. This is why the presence of dynamic metadata – such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+ – is so crucial, especially in darker televisions. They can significantly improve the viewing experience where the brightness of the panel alone is not sufficient.

On paper, the Dolby Vision IQ feature also looks interesting, which is an HDR mode that should adjust the image to the lighting in the room. Unfortunately, in the case of the A300, it does not work very well – with this option turned on, the image resembles dynamic mode, with distorted colors and excessive brightness, which seriously ruins the overall effect. Therefore, we do not recommend using this mode.

Static HDR10

Dynamic: Dolby Vision

Smoothness of tonal transitions

8.6/10

TCL A300 NXTVision is another frame-style television that really handles the smoothness of color transitions well. It's hard to find clear bands or sharp transitions between shades of the same color here – the overall look is natural and smooth.

However, it must be honestly admitted that among the three tested models (The Frame and S7NQ), TCL performs the weakest in this category. In darker and lighter scenes, delicate imperfections can be noticed. Nevertheless, looking at it as a whole, for a TV in this price range – it really presents itself solidly. It may not be the best among all, but it maintains a very good level.

Review TCL A300W NXTVision Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

5.5/10

Smooth transition function

Image without overscan on the SD signal

TCL A300 handles tonal transitions in high-quality films very well, but the question arises – how does it perform with weaker materials? The television is equipped with a tonal transition smoothing feature, but its effectiveness can be described in one word: "random." In one scene it may work and improve the gradation, and when turned off… the effect remains the same. There is a lack of consistency and predictability.

Image scaling is also not one of the A300's strong suits. In the test pattern, the main character actually looked better than on the raw signal, but with thin lines – like fonts or background details – there was noticeable jaggedness and aliasing. On the plus side, the television does not cut off the image and has no issues with overscan, but the overall quality of scaling is rather average.

Blur and motion smoothness

6.4/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz

Film motion smoothing option: Yes

Blur reduction option: Yes

BFI function 60Hz: No

BFI function 120Hz: No

Brightness drop with BFI: 0%

The TCL A300 is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, which should immediately satisfy practically everyone – both gamers and sports fans. The motion is smooth, and the picture is clear even in fast scenes. Additionally, the television offers a motion enhancement feature called "Motion," where we can find two sliders on a 10-point scale. These allow for adjusting the effect to personal preferences – from a classic, cinematic look with visible frames to a very smooth (though already unnatural) image reminiscent of a soap opera effect. Thanks to this, everyone can find a setting that suits them.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

We must say this straightforwardly – the motion blur in the TCL A300 is noticeable and unfortunately ranks the lowest among all the frame-style TVs we tested. In the test with the flying "UFO creature," a distinct trail follows the object, and the alien itself appears quite blurry and unclear. This motion blur is one of the weakest points of this model. Unfortunately, TCL still has a lot of room for improvement here – especially for those who pay attention to motion sharpness in dynamic scenes.

Console compatibility and gaming features

9.8/10

ALLM: Yes
VRR: Yes
VRR range: 48 - 144Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode: Yes
Correct implementation of HGIG: Yes
1080p@120Hz: Yes
1440p@120Hz: Yes
4K@120Hz: Yes
Game bar: Yes

TCL A300 is a television designed not only to transport us to a digital art museum but also to a full-fledged gaming world. It offers practically everything you would expect from gear for gamers: two HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth, 144 Hz refresh rate, VRR support, and ALLM.

The correct implementation of the HGIG mode is also a plus – something that competing Hisense sometimes struggles with. The television easily handles lower resolutions (e.g., Full HD) while maintaining high refresh rates, which will be appreciated by owners of older consoles or PCs.

In addition, there’s an attractive and clear GameBar that facilitates quick access to settings for gamers. The A300 is truly well-prepared for gaming at the highest level – it's just a shame that issues with motion blur slightly tarnish its overall image as a gaming device.

Input lag

9.7/10

In terms of input lag, the TCL A300 performs really well. Values below 10 ms at a 120 Hz refresh rate are something many gamers dream of – such low lag is practically imperceptible, both during everyday gaming and in more demanding esports titles. One could indeed point out the result of 23 ms in Dolby Vision mode at 60 frames, but it is still a low enough value that it's hard to have serious objections. In this category, the A300 truly excels.

SDR	HDR	Dolby Vision
1080p60: 18 ms	2160p60: 18 ms	2160p60 DV: 23 ms
1080p120: 9 ms	2160p120: 9 ms	2160p120 DV: 12 ms
2160p60: 18 ms
2160p120: 9 ms

Compatibility with PC

8.2/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Average

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 11ms

Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR

Max refresh rate: 144Hz

G-Sync: Yes

If we plan to use the TCL A300 as a monitor for a computer, we may be pleasantly surprised. The television performs really well in this role. It is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, supports G-Sync, and, as we mentioned, offers very low input lag, so gaming on it with a connected PC is pure pleasure.

Working with text is also possible, although with some limitations. The TCL A300 has slight issues displaying dark fonts and thin lines – this stems from the structure of the subpixels, which can be somewhat bothersome in everyday use, even though it looks better in pictures than in reality.

The television supports chroma 4:4:4, but only up to 120 Hz. That's why we noted that this feature is available, but with a limitation – if we care about perfectly legible fonts, it's worth sticking to a refresh rate of 120 Hz. At 144 Hz, the sharpness of the text may suffer slightly.

Viewing angles

3.2/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 79%

The viewing angles on the TCL A300 NXTVision are – let's be honest – average. The television is equipped with a VA panel, which inherently has quite limited angles, and unfortunately, you can clearly see that here. The film below speaks for itself – even a slight deviation from the axis results in a noticeable drop in contrast and color saturation. It’s a pity that this is another frame-style television that hasn’t done anything about it. After all, we don’t always have the option to sit perfectly straight in front – especially if the device is also meant to serve a decorative function in the living room.

TV efficiency during daytime

4.7/10

Matrix coating: Matte

Reflection suppression: Good

Black levels during daytime: Poor

The TCL A300 NXTVision is equipped with a matte panel very similar to the one found in one of its Chinese competitors – the Hisense S7NQ model. Such a surface does quite well in suppressing reflections, although it must be admitted that it performs worse than Samsung's The Frame, which offers a definitely higher level in this respect. As is often the case with matte displays, blacks during the day lose depth and appear more gray than black – and this is no different here. Unfortunately, the fact that the A300 is the darkest television among the tested trio does not help either. As a result, it has a real problem standing out in heavily sunlit rooms.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

TCL A300W NXTVision: 388 cd/m2

Details about the matrix

Software version during testing: TVM6.0.1_549fe6714_240813

Image processor: mt5896 2,5GB RAM

Panel uniformity:

Backlight Type: PFS LED

TV features

7.7/10

System operacyjny: Google TV
TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
Recording programming: No
Picture in Picture (PiP): No
Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
AirPlay: Yes
Voice search in native language: Yes
Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
Audio only mode: Yes
RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
Backlit remote control: No
Teletext: Yes

TCL A300 is a television styled like a painting, which in everyday use can successfully imitate a work of art hanging on the wall. It is equipped with a special image display mode, additional frames in a light wood tone, and a flat wall mount that allows the TV to be hung like a real painting – flush against the wall.

A significant advantage of the picture mode is that it is completely free. We have access to dozens of artworks from which we can choose what should be displayed in standby mode – instead of a black screen, the image selected by us stays on the wall. The quality of the graphic reproduction is decent, but it must be admitted that it clearly falls short compared to that of Samsung's ART Store. Although access to the images there is paid, the quality of the scans is significantly better – you can see the texture of the paint, canvas, and details. In the TCL A300, it resembles high-quality photos more than realistic reproductions of artworks. Additionally, the implementation of the picture mode in the system leaves much to be desired. For example – if we set the brightness in picture mode to 10%, this same value automatically transfers to the regular viewing mode, where we could easily set the brightness to 50% or even 100%. It also works the other way around – when we set the brightness to 100% in regular mode, after switching to gallery mode, the images are displayed with that same maximum brightness, shining too intensely and losing the entire effect of "a picture on the wall." These are minor but annoying errors that can ruin the impression of what was supposed to be visually subtle and elegant.

Moving on to more classic features – the A300 runs on the Google TV system, which currently offers by far the largest selection of applications (full list available below). The well-functioning voice assistant with support for the Polish language is also a significant plus. As is standard – as in most TCL televisions – there is a lack of USB recording functionality or picture-in-picture (PiP) mode.

Playing files from USB

Video Photos Audio

8.9/10

Video Photos Audio

Maximum photo resolution:	Supported photo formats:
4 Mpix	JPEG
6 Mpix	HEIC
8 Mpix	PNG
10 Mpix	GIF
12 Mpix	WebP
16 Mpix	TIFF
20 Mpix	BMP
24 Mpix	SVG
28 Mpix
32 Mpix

The built-in player in the TCL A300 works as it should – most popular video and photo files play without any issues. Although it lacks support for the HEIC format from Apple (which is quite common in many TVs), most users still rely on the AirPlay feature, so it shouldn't pose a major problem. If someone is not satisfied with the default player, the Google TV system offers considerable options – it's easy to install an alternative app that better matches our preferences. Nonetheless, it must be admitted that the factory solution is completely sufficient for everyday use.

Apps

10/10

Sound

6/10

Subjective sound quality

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

When it comes to sound, the TCL A300W – like its competitors – sounds quite... flat, after all, we are talking about a super slim TV. For everyday watching of news or series, this level is completely sufficient, but during movie screenings, it may clearly lack depth and space. On the plus side, it’s worth noting that the TV supports both Dolby Atmos and the increasingly rare DTS:X – which provides more options when connecting an external audio system. It’s also worth mentioning that the A300 PRO model is equipped with a dedicated, flat soundbar. And it's no ordinary one – it sounds better than most of the TVs we tested.

Comfortable canvas. Higher image quality Art images come to life on the screen without glare! The matte display absorbs reflections, even in bright lighting conditions. Enjoy excellent image quality without seeing your reflection!
Ultra-saturated QLED colors Experience realistic image quality and an ultra-wide color range with vibrant colors and striking contrast.
Vivid, accurate colors and the finest details The best standard for UHD 4K content is High Dynamic Range. HDR PRO delivers exceptional High Dynamic Range experiences with great contrast, shadow detail, and vibrant, accurate colors. Experience amazing image details as intended by the filmmakers. The image you see is as detailed as in the real world. Immerse yourself even deeper into the details!
Instant image response at 144Hz. Enjoy fluidity and sharpness of fast-moving images, such as sports or action movies, with our native 144Hz display. Nothing matches native 144Hz refresh rate. 144Hz is the highest refresh rate for a TV screen. With this 144Hz refresh rate, the signal will be processed optimally, regardless of whether the signal is 50Hz, 60Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz.
Stunning HDR regardless of the source Maximize the potential of your HDR TV: whether you're watching Dolby Vision content on Netflix, Disney+, or HDR 10+ on Amazon Prime Video, this 4K HDR TCL TV will always support the best format. Additionally, HDR Dolby Vision IQ optimizes image quality by adjusting to the lighting conditions in the room. With a light sensor, Dolby Vision IQ intelligently adjusts your TV to ensure perfect picture quality in your room at any time. There are many ways to achieve the best HDR image quality on your TV: HDR10, HDR HLG, HDR10+ on Amazon Prime, HDR DOLBY VISION on Netflix, and DOLBY VISION IQ. This TCL TV supports them all!
Play like a professional For gamers, a responsive TV is just as important as one with smooth and clear images. With HDMI 2.1, ALLM, support for 144Hz VRR and 120Hz VRR, along with a gaming bar, FreeSync Premium, and Game Accelerator 240Hz, you'll experience the smoothest action, lowest latency, and best picture settings for gaming, automatically. *5.7 ms at 4K 120Hz HDR, requires the latest generation game console with HDMI 2.1 or HDMI 2.1 gaming PC device.
Immersive sound moving around you. Sound has never sounded so good. Feel a deeper connection with the stories and music you love through sound that moves around you with breathtaking realism. Dolby, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and the double D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
Just for you. Discover new movies and shows from your subscriptions and available content. Suggestions based on what you've watched and what interests you make it easy to find a new favorite title.
A private art gallery for free and “Ai” Art A vast collection of world-famous paintings for free. It features classic masters, contemporary innovators, and emerging artists with a diversity of visual arts, painting, and photography. When the TV is not in use, it displays artistic screen savers, transforming an ordinary black screen into beautiful works of art. For free, and in a very simple way, you can enjoy hundreds of world-renowned paintings across a wide range of genres.
“Ai” Art:
With the exclusive artificial intelligence algorithm developed by TCL, with just a few simple steps, you can customize and create painting styles, tonalities, and various types of content. Enjoy the pleasure of creating your own artworks or drawings and expressing yourself.
*“Ai” Art images are pre-generated by AI technology, not created in real-time.
*Content is for illustrative purposes. Actual product (including but not limited to appearance, color, size) and on-screen display content may differ slightly. Please refer to the actual product.
Relax and enjoy a personal atmosphere at home! Choose from relaxing dynamic scenes and background sounds that help you unwind. Various scenes are available, such as a crackling fire, raindrops falling on leaves, or waves crashing on a beach, so you feel like you are really there, enjoying your personal time. This exclusive content, available for free, drawn from beautiful scenes of nature or everyday life, complemented by soothing background music, is sure to help you relax and unwind.
Sleek, slim, and tidy wall element. Elegant minimalist design, flat against the wall and stylish. A masterpiece in your home decor.
Match or highlight the style of your interior with magnetic TV frames. The TCL NXTVISION TV comes with a magnetic frame in “Dawn Birch” color. Additional frame colors are available for separate purchase: “Twilight Elm,” “Vernal Mint,” and more…

TCL A300W NXTVision

Our verdict

Advantages

Disadvantages

Competing TVs in this price range

TV appearance

Buy in the best price

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound